Adjustable armchair



May 17; 1927. 1,628,764

.A.c.BEEcH ADJUSTABLE ARM CHAIR Filed May 1924 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 t www f'q Patented May 17, 1927.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

ALEXANDER C. BEECH, OF GHICAGO, ILLINOIS, ASBIGNOR T KROEHLER MEG. (30., 0] IAPERVILLE, ILLINOIS, A CORPORATION OF ILLINOIS.

ADJUSTABLE ARMCHAIR.

Application filed Kay 14, 1924. Serial No. 713,115.

r This invention relates to improvements in reclining chairs, and more particularly to chairs in which the seat and back portion may be tilted at different angles to suit the b convenience of the individual, or to afiord a more comfortable sitting posture.

The object of the invention is to provide a reclining or tiltable chair, which can be easily operated by a person from a sitting W posture, and without undue exertion, to tilt the seat and back to the desired position.

A further object of the invention is to provide a simple, yet effective, adjusting device, whereby the tilting of the seat is accomplished by shifting. the movable arms,

connected with frictional adjusting members, which hold the movable parts in any position of adjustment.

In the accom anying drawings I have it 30 lustrated a pre erred embodiment of the in vention wherein- Figure 1 is a view in side elevation of the chair with the operating arts exposed.

Fi ure 2 is a view in front elevation of the c air, with portions shown in sections.

Fi ure 3 is an enlarged detail view of the s iidable operating arm. a

Figure 4 is a perspective view of the rocking lever for operatin the frictional release. I Figure 5 is an en arged detail view in elevation showing the supporting trunnions and frictional release.

. Figure 6 is a perspective view of the side arm with the supporting trunnion fixed thereto, and

Figure 7 is a rspective view of the movable section of the trunnion with the operating parts connected therewith.

. As illustrative of the further embodimeat of the invention, a plain and substantial type of reclining chalr has been shown, and consisting generally of a frame A and the rotatable or tilting seat portion B supported in the. frame. The frame is made up of vertical legs 1, side frame members 2-2, extending between the front and rear legs on both sides of the frame, a cross member 3 connecting the rear legs andside arms M. The seat portion 13 is aunrtary memher made up of a hack 5 and a seat 6, the

latter preferably extended downwardl and famardlytoward the floor and provi ed at its lower and with an upturned foot rest 7.

he entire seat portion B 13 rotetably or tiltabl supported on two trunnions located on eit er side of the chair frame, the parts thereof being supported and forming a part of and supported by the side frame members 2--2.

The construction of the trunnions will now be described. As clearly shown in Figures 1 and 5, there is formed at the junction of the back and seat 5 and 6 of the seat portion B and in a vertical plane of the slde margins thereof is a rounded enlargement 8 having a circular opening or hearing 8 formed therein, said openin being of comparatively large diameter 0 say 8 to 10 inches in a chair of the average size. The side frame members 2-42 are also provided with upwardly projecting semicircular projections 9-9 which lie just outside of the rounded portions 88 of the seat B with the curvilinear edges thereof substantially concentric with the centers of the circular openings 8-8. Secured to the inner faces ofthe side frame members 22 are semi-circular shaped blocks 10 having their curvilinear faces arranged concentrically to the rounded portions 99 of the side frame members and spaced radially inwardly therefrom and concentrically thereto as shown in Figure 6. These blocks are securely held in place by screws 111.1. Moreover, these blocks extend into the openings 8"-8" of the seat B, and form hearings or trunnions for the seat, engaging substantially the upper half of the faces of said openings 8". In this manner it will be seen that the seat B is sup )orted or suspended on the blocks 10- l0 an free to rotate about a horizontal axis coinciding with the centers of the bearings 8, 8'.

Additional means, however, are provided for frictionally locking the seat against free rotation on the trunnion blocks 1010 and located in the lower portion of the annular bearings 8, 8 are friction blocks 12, 12, be ing of the same shape as the trunnion blocks 1010, both of which will be observed are slightly less than true semi-circles since their straight margins are spaced apart and on op osite sides of the true center of rotation, a istance suflicient to permit a limited relative movement in a vertical direction, and to allow for the introduction of springs about to 'be described. The blocks 10 and 1a of each trunnion are connected together and blocks 12, 12 downwardly against their seats in the lower half of the annular bearings S. It. is manifest that in the absence of means for displacing the movable frictional blocks 12,- 12, verticallyand against the action of the springs 14-, 14, that the seat 13 would be held against movement relative to the chair frame,'and in any position of adjustment. Moreover, the diameter of the annular bearings 8 and blocks 10 and 12 is such as to afford ample frictional resistance to the shifting of the weight of the person sitting in the chair regardless of the posture assumed.

In the side frame members 2, 2, and extending vertically dowmvard and centrally from the upper edges of the rounded extensions 9, 9, are cut slots 15. which extend a shortdistance below the lower extremities of the bearings 8. At the upper end of each slot 15, 15, and on opposite sides thereof the material is cut back to form right angle notches which together form a seat 16 serving the purpose presently to be pointed out. Fittin Within each of the vertical slots 15, 15and adapted for limited vertical movement therein are bars 17, 17, which are permanently secured at their lower ends to the movable friction blocks 12, 12, by means of screws 17? as clearly shown in Figure 7. In the upper end of each bar 17 is mortised one leaf of ahinged connecting member 18 having its opposite or upper leaf mortised into the underside of a lever block 19. As clearly shown in Figure 5, the lever block 19 stands upright in the seat 16 at the entrance of each slot 15. Moreover, the lever block 19 projects above the seat in which it rests and is engaged by the manual operating member by whichthe adjustment or tilting of the seat is accomplished by the sitter from a sitting or reclining position.

Referring to'Figures 1 and 2 it will be observed that "the arms, 1, 1, consist of two parts, namely,-a fixed bar 20 extending between the upper ends of the legs and. a

movable bar 21 which substantially encloses the fixed bar 20, the two parts being mortised together so that the movable bar completelysurrounds the fixed bar. As clearly shown in Figure 2, the arms 4, 4, extend just above the trunnions so that by providing a slot 20 in the fixed bar 20, the upper portion or head of the lever blocks 19, extends through the bar 20 and engages a socket or seat 21" in the underside of the movable bar 21 (Figures 3 and 5).

As before explained, the seat I) is held against rotatable :uliustment by the expansion of the trunnion blocks ill and i2 actuated by the springs 14;. 14-. it follows. therefore, that the same condition will exist to long as the frictional bloehs l2, 12 are not displaced. Moreover, the trunnion blorlc: remain in locked position when the lever blocks 19, 19 are fully seated in the notched seat 16 (Figure 1). Assun'iing. lherel'ore. a a person sitting in the chair in upright position as shown in Figure 1, desires to tilt back ard to a reclining position. he grasps the movable bars 21 of the arms l and by bracing himself against the back 5 as one would naturally do, in tilting bznflnvard. he moves the bars 21 forwardly, (hereb tilting the lever blocks 19. 19 on their forward edges as shown in Figure 5. thereby displacing the bars 17 upwardly and releases the frictional blocks 12, '12. In this way the seal l3 is allowed to tilt baclnvard until the desired position is obtained whereupon the sitter releases his grasp upon the arms ol the chair releasing the friction blocks 12. 12, which instantly frictionally lock the seat in the desired position. Manifestly, to again tilt the seat to another position the forward pressure upon the arms is again applied. thus releasing the frictional blocks and the sitter shifting his Weight forwardly, brings the scat forward. Thus, it will be seen that in 11 chair of this character the tilting or adjust ment of the seat to any position is accomplished entirely by the sitter from a sitting posture and without assistance o l' the feel, as is required in the ordinary forms of swivel chairs or even rocking chairs. All of the effort is due to forward pressure upon the arms of the chair and is applied in a most natural manner by i'nerely lll'fltlllfl: ones self against the back of the chair.

The advantage of this ronsirurlion is that the chair may be tilted to any desired angllo and frictionally held in such position until the friction is released. A still further ad vantage of such a constrm'lion lies in the extren'ie sinmlicity of parts which permihit to be incorporated at a low cost in reclin ing chairs, thereby making it available to a large class of users.

Having described the preferred embodiment of the invention, I claim:

1. In a chair of the charm-leide cribed. the combination of a frame and a seat till ably suspended in said frame by means of trunnions located at the sides of said frame above the center of gravity of said seat and comprising annular bearing blocks mounted on said frame and annular bearing surfaces on said seat and trunnions, and friction members yieldingly engaging said bearing); surfaces and acting to increase the frictional till l lii llll resistance of said trunnions to the tilting of the seat as the weight supported therein is shifted.

2. In a chair of the character described, the combination of a frame and a seat tiltably suspended in said frame by means of trufnnions on opposite sides of said chair and each comprising an external annular hearing member of relatively large radius mounted on said seat and an internal hearing member mounted on said frame and frictionally supporting said seat throughout the upper portion thereof, said internal bearing member having an adjustable section bearing downwardly on said external bearing member, tension means acting on said adjustable section, and manually operative means for controlling the friction exerted by said adjustable section on said external bearing member.

3. In a chair of the character described, the combination of a frame and seat tilt ably suspended in said frame by means of trunnions comprising vertically arranged annular bearing blocks mounted on said frame and annular bearing surfaces surrounding said blocks and integral with said seat, a section of said blocks being relatively adjustable to increase and decrease the frictional resistance between said blocks and bearing surfaces, springs acting on said adjustable section to increase the friction and manually operative means for decreasing the friction.

4. In a chair of the character described, the combination of a frame and a seat tiltable in said frame by means of trunnions, comprising circular bearing surfaces on said seat, circular bearing blocks mounted on said frame and frictionally engaging said bearing means, said blocks consisting of fixed and adjustable sections, springs interposed between said sections to maintain a predetermined frictional contact against said bearing surfaces and means manually operative from sitting position and connected with said adjustable section for tie creasing the frictional contact with said bearing surfaces.

5. In a chair of the character described, the combination of a frame, a seat tiltably mounted in said frame through the medium of laterally disposed trunnions comprising annular bearing members fixed to said seat, pairs of substantially semi-circular and relatively expansible bearing blocks engaging within said bearing members, springs acting normally to expand said blocks, and endwise movable members forming the arms of said frame and operatively connected with said blocks to control the frictional contact between said blocks and said. bearing members.

6. In a chair of the character described, the combination of a frame, a seat tiltably mounted in said frame through the medium of laterally disposed trunnions comprising annular bearing members fixed to said seat, pairs of substantially semi-circular and relatively expansible bearing blocks engaging within said bearing members, compression springs acting normally to expand said blocks, a lever operatively' connected with one of said blocks and endwise movable members forming the arms of said frame,

and connected with said lever for manually releasing said blocks from frictional locking contact with said bearing members.

7. In a chair of the character described, the combination of a frame provided with arms having endwise sliding portions, a seat supported in said frame, by means of trunnions, on opposite sides of the chair, each comprising an annular bearing member, and spring expanded bearing blocks engaging said bearing member, a bar connected with one of said blocks, a lever hinged to said bar and mounted for rocking movement on said frame, and operatively connected with the endwise sliding portions of said arms.

8. In a chair of the character described, the combination of a frame, a seat mounted in said frame through the medium of laterally disposed trunnions, one of said trunnions comprising an annular bearing member fixed to said seat, a substantially semicircular bearing block fixed to said frame, and engaging the upper portion of said bearing member, a relati\ 'ely movable block engaging the lower portion of said bearing member, a compression spring interposed between said blocks, an endwise movable bar connected with said movable block, a rock ing lever seated adjacent each trunnion and connected with each bar, said frame comprising an endwise shiftable arm, engaging said levers whereby the shifting of said arm in one direction effects the release of said movable blocks from frictional engagement with said bearing member.

Signed at Chicago, Ill., this 2nd day of May, 1924.

ALEXANDER U. BEECH. 

